Hueypilot

Likely. Multiple sources have reported that current cases of Omicron have been mild and there's no uptick in hospital admissions. There was fear that Delta was going to be a much deadlier variant, but instead it's mortality was about the same...it was just more virulent and spread easier. Omicron's mutations are probably geared for better and easier spread, but probably not deadlier. Coronaviruses that make up cold illnesses are highly transmissible but extremely mild, and I'd wager that the COVID virus will likely become just another endemic human virus that generally produces mild to moderate illness. It'll probably become another flu-like illness with the added kick that it presents an elevated risk to older and immune-compromised individuals.

The world needs to learn to live with this and accept it as part of the landscape. It's not going to be eradicated like other less transmissible viruses.

Mesabah

The single person who shed omicron, likely was infected in early 2020, and still has the infection. Covid has always been very mild, it’s the other factors that matter.

Red Forman

Too busy being incompetent.

rickair7777

Yes. That's the natural evolutionary progression of these bugs, since exterminating the host (or in the case of humans causing us to take deliberate measures to avoid infection) is not conducive to survival.

There's no evolutionary drive to become more dangerous, if that happens the mutation would have to be associated by chance with another feature which gives enough advantage to offset the increased danger to the host.

Yes. Just like all of the other respiratory viruses in the history of warm-blooded life.

rickair7777

Are you represented by alpa?

SonicFlyer

Europe is locking down again...

From the WSJ:

https://youtu.be/V4sUFXVnuyk

All 5 Stages

Probably because lockdowns work so well ... <sarcasm>

A5S
​​​​​​​

Drum

🤡🌎


//filler

TransWorld

Would that be consistent with a lot of mutated strains become less impactful as time goes on?

Red Forman

Used to be. Even volunteered at one point.